OsunladeListenⓘ(/ˌoʊsʊnˈlɑːdeɪ/; born March 13, 1969) is an American musician and music producer.
Biography
Osunlade was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri.[2] He composed music for Sesame Street during the late 1980s and early 1990s.[3] Afterward, he moved to Los Angeles, California, where he worked with artists such as Patti LaBelle and Freddie Jackson. After a stint there, he moved to New York, where he founded Yoruba Records because of "the continued need to create the music I wanted".[4] To date, he has worked with such artists as Roy Ayers, Nkemdi, Salif Keita, Poranguí, and Cesária Évora. In 2006, he released the album Aquarian Moon; in 2007, he released the album Elements Beyond on the revived Strictly Rhythm label, and in 2009, he released the album Passage. He is a priest of the Yoruba religion of Ifá.[5]
Controversy
His performance at Irish festival All Together Now was cancelled in 2023, following complaints about public social media posts[6] he made which were negative about transgender health care.[7] Osunlade was dismissive of the cancellation, noting he would be paid regardless.[8]
Discography
Albums
2000 Yoruba Records: El Primer Año
2001 Paradigm
2006 Aquarian Moon
2007 Elements Beyond
2010 Rebirth
2011 Pyrography
2013 A Man with No Past Originating the Future
2014 Peacock
2020 Basic Sketches for Beginners
2025 INvite ONly
Singles
1999 "Native Tongue"
2000 "Beats de los Muertos Vol. 1"
2000 "Power to Conquer/Aldeia de Ogum" (as Latina Café)
